Fragmentation of governments and urban sprawl has been a subject of debate for a considerable time. The discussion often centers on whether space (sprawl) and politics (fragmentation) make a difference in the economic development of metropolitan...

Richard Florida's (2002a and b) work ranks 276 U. S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) according to a creativity index. This dissertation explores whether the creativity index or its subcomponents are related to the economic strength or growth...